Oakland Animal Services is facing a significant increase in the number of surrendered animals, rising nearly 40% since 2019. This uptick coincides with budget cuts leading to staff reductions. New policies will now allow the shelter to refuse animals when owners can no longer care for them, and the timeframe for pet reclaim has decreased from a week to 72 hours. Additionally, certain animals over four months must be spayed or neutered before acceptance. This change aims to align the shelter with state guidelines and address issues stemming from the ongoing housing crisis.
The combined number of newly dropped-off dogs and cats at Oakland Animal Services has risen by nearly 40% since 2019, coinciding with staffing reductions.
New rules will allow Oakland Animal Services to not accept animals whose owners say they can no longer care for them, marking a significant policy change.
Pet owners now have 72 hours to claim their animal before it is slated for adoption, a reduction aimed at improving intake management.
Director Joe DeVries noted that the rise in animal intakes is tied to the region's housing crisis and people's economic challenges.
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